Our Passion Play
by Ishuzu
Summary: Period piece 1500s: Yami is a welltodo gentleman, Isis is in an acting troupe and Kaiba's a Catholic priest. Love, hatred, jealousy, betrayal, and maybe some steaminess will ensue wow, rose from the dead and as crappy as ever. ch 11
1. The Players

Me: Okay... Here we go... I got this idea the other night from watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame...  
  
YGO Chars.: WHAT?!?!  
  
Me: I know... Where did that come from? Well, at first this was going to be a fic to take place in Egypt, BUT I decided that some things couldn't take place in Egypt so it became a late 1500s to early 1600s fic!  
  
Seto: O...kay... But where does the Hunchback movie come in?  
  
Me: Funny you should ask... I was watching the scene where Frollo sings about Esmerelda and how he's basically lusting after her... You know, the Hell Fire song... And I thought about how Seto here was the high priest in ancient Egypt and wouldn't it be cool to have him do a really creepy variation of that song--  
  
Seto: WHAT?!?!?!?!  
  
Seto fans: *pelt ripe melons at Me*  
  
Me: Hey, hey, I'm as much of a Seto fan as anyone... or was... whatever... But the thing is, he would be really great singing that song... So, suddenly, Kaiba-boy's a Catholic priest, Isis is an actress/dancer in an acting troupe, Yami is a well-to-do gentleman, and Bakura (as always) PLAYS THE TAMBOURINE!!!!  
  
All: *sweat*  
  
Me: So, I know you're thinking that the whole story is going to be like Hunchback but that's just where I got my inspiration... And who knows? Maybe Kaiba'll get that song... I might make this a musical, since those tend to be much fun. I hope you all like this even though it's sort of weird... Besides, cut me a little slack. I learned about a bunch of this stuff in class BUT I also RESEARCHED some things SPECIFICALLY for this fic!!! So help me out a little, please?  
  
All: -_-....Who am I this time?  
  
Me: *hands out scripts*  
  
Bakura: *in reference to the character he plays in the acting troupe* Yay! o  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The year was fifteen-hundred and ninety-five corresponding to the years of our Lord's birth and death respectively. The Virgin Queen had reigned in fair England for 37 of these years, and the country thrived. The greatest generations of playwrights, poets, free-thinkers, artists, philosophers, scientists, and the like were among this time, clinging to their new ideas and shooting into the sky as stars when they were discovered. Beauty was for all to behold in the Elizabethan era. It is this time (the year fifteen- hundred and ninety-five) that our story takes place.  
  
In the center of the buzzing city of London, an acting troupe was entertaining an audience. Upon the stage was a young man, shaggy blonde hair dipping over his chocolate eyes. He threw his arms in the air and embraced a tanned woman in a long, flowing gown. They kissed passionately while a man in a harlequin mask danced about with a tambourine. The audience cheered as the entire cast emerged from backstage to take a bow. London was such a wonderful town, home to most of them, and a good substitute for the rest. Their faces flushed from the thrill of performing, they performed encores for some time until it was late noon and time for a sort of lunch.  
  
Harlequin removed his mask to reveal a mess of snow-white locks and a lopsided grin. His coca-dusted eyes scanned the others as he flopped down beside the tanned young woman.  
  
"I would have to say that we have yet to give a better performance!" His hand raised in the air, his long fingers wrapped around a small glass of wine. "To us!"  
  
"To us!" came the laughing reply.  
  
"I cannot say that I enjoy that play as much as 'Pantaloon Must Be Wed'... At least in that one I have more lines..." Identical the white-haired harlequin, this was from the boy sitting atop a prop box while he chewed his food thoughtfully.  
  
"Come now, Ryou..." The harlequin answered. "It is Perrot, after all, who saves the lovers in the end..."  
  
"So it is true..." sighed Ryou. "Though, this performance did without a doubt belong to Isis!"  
  
The blue-eyed woman looked up from her lunch and a smile spread across her tanned face. "Do you really think so?"  
  
"Of course!" laughed the harlequin. "You must have caused four encores alone! It must be your charm and wild beauty!"  
  
"Had I not known you for many years," scoffed Isis, "and were you not my friend, I would find it just to strike you for that, Bakura!"  
  
"So you do not wish to hear of your assets... Ha... Some woman you are!" Bakura sneered back.  
  
She laughed good-naturedly. "I was nothing without Joey." She turned to the man who had played as her lover. "Thank you for taking on the role."  
  
"No problem, Isis! Say da word and I'm your man!" The blonde boy called Joey replied cheekily. (Note: I can't imagine him without his New York accent...)  
  
Bakura the harlequin sighed as he reclined against the troupe's carriage. "All in all, a magnificent performance is a magnificent performance..." He reached over and threw an arm about Isis's shoulders. She smiled warmly up at him until she heard a woman's voice come from somewhere nearby. The voice was pinched and her words stung.  
  
"Another acting troupe... So, this one only has one woman. How DOES she manage, with all those men and all?"  
  
"Oh, Marie, please... We both know exactly how she... 'manages'..." The two fluttered off, cackling witches beneath the flare of beauty and grace.  
  
Isis hung her head but tried not to let the others see. All her life, she had heard that the stage was no place for a respectable lady. And she supposed it was true. But the allure of the crowd, the thrill of masquerading as someone else, the smell of the face paint and the feel of the costumes... She could not let go of the need to be whirling about gracefully on a stage. Who had wanted to be a respectable lady anyhow? But Isis's reputation was what suffered. Greatly. The elaborate stages where the great William Shakespeare's plays were aptly performed did not allow women to grace their planks, but with this traveling theatre troupe, who could stop her? 'They needed her, and she needed them,' her good friend, Bakura, had convinced her.  
  
But though the lure of the theatre was great, she could not help knowing what the other women and men thought of her. She was the only female in the troupe, young, fair, and without a husband. Thus, her reputation was slightly disreputable. But she had not proved that reputation true, not yet. The men among her in this troupe were but friends, nothing more.  
  
"Hey, Bakura..." Joey threw a glance at the other man. "Do ya think maybe I could play da harlequin next time?"  
  
"Of course..." Bakura mused, then smiled wickedly. "learn to memorize lines and I shall give up my spot in a pinch!"  
  
Joey threw what was left of his lunch at the white-haired boy. The harlequin ducked.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: Well, what do you think? This is only one of the little groups of people...  
  
Yami: She's making everyone wait to see Kaiba as a priest.  
  
Kaiba: Whatever the case, I shall be one sexy ass priest!!!  
  
Me: *rolls eyes* Oh, Seto, you only add fuel to the fire... Please review all... It will bring more chapters of this insanity... 


	2. The Well To Dos

Me: Back again with apologies to most for the title . But a passion play is about the life (and mostly the death) of Christ. I just thought it could be used as a nice double entandra... Anyway, please enjoy this chapter...  
  
DISCLAIMER: As always, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Please consider yourself disclaimed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A man stopped at the end of a well-to-do street and smiled up into the windows of a very lavish home. So this was where the Duke lived! How well he had done for himself! And his lovely wife, a girl this man on the doorstep had known since they were but small children. How nice it would be to see both the Duke and Duchess again. He lifted his gloved hand and knocked lightly on the door.  
  
Some kind of servant answered the door and regally bowed to the young man before allowing him inside. The man mused faintly on how extravagant everything seemed, as he was wealthy and always had enough money to spend but the word he used was always 'enough'. He was not used to a house and servants of such opulent nature.  
  
A man with silver hair and flashy attire sat cross-legged on a chair in a parlor. His secretive smile widened and he threw his arms out to greet the man standing in the doorway.  
  
"Thank goodness you have arrived! My, how long has it been? You do look healthy!"  
  
"And you yourself, Pegasus..." The gentleman at the door nodded. His eyes grinned back at his old friend.  
  
Pegasus flipped back his silver tresses and ushered the man into the parlor. He offered him a seat and the man took it.  
  
"And how was the city of Paris treating you, my boy?" Pegasus motioned for the servant to prepare tea.  
  
"Always well..." laughed the gentleman. "But I did become somewhat homesick for England. My, what a fine country to have as one's birthplace!"  
  
Pegasus nodded in approval. "Well, Yami, we know that all cannot be as lucky as we to have been privileged enough to hail from here!" Yami laughed and agreed.  
  
Soon, they heard the soft footfalls of the lady of the house as she entered the parlor. Both men stood and bowed a little to her.  
  
"Yami!" Skipping over to the younger man, she did not give her husband a second's glance and threw herself into Yami's arms. Yami laughed a little. Even when they were children, her behavior around him had always been a little less than proper...  
  
She settled herself on the edge of a large chair and smiled warmly at him. "I am so glad you have returned! Please stay as long as you wish!"  
  
Yami smiled. "Thank you, Tea. You and Pegasus have always been so kind to me. Your husband and I were just musing on how wonderful it is to be back in England."  
  
Tea turned to Pegasus and the two both smiled as if for a portrait. "Yes... It is lovely to be here..." The woman said stiffly. Yami attempted to stay comfortable with the conversation. It was obvious that Tea and Pegasus had not married for love, but for money. Of course, there was nothing wrong with this. Everyone did it. But Yami saw something more when Tea and Pegasus were in the same room. They despised one another. Yami had never considered marriage, to be brutally honest, but knew that one day, it would be his turn. Though he knew it might not be terribly important to marry for love, he did not wish to loathe his spouse. A mutual understanding would be nice. Of course... a man could always dream...  
  
"If you'll excuse me," Pegasus rose to his feet and smiled, "I shall be making arrangements for the party tonight. As you know, my old friend, you arrived just in time for a celebration with just a few old friends."  
  
Yami laughed, knowing that Pegasus had obviously invited more than half of England's wealthy and famous. As Pegasus left the room, Yami smiled at Tea. "You look stunning... It has been a long time since I had seen you last."  
  
"Yes..." she sighed and letting herself stare into his eyes, she fought the urge to say what she was thinking. Tea had loved Yami from the moment she had first laid eyes on him as a small girl of three or four. They had grown up together. But something greater than her love for Yami had led her astray: her love of wealth. How could any woman resist the lure of diamonds, jewels, thousands of dresses and beautiful headdresses? That was why she had married Pegasus, who was richer by far than Yami. It also gave her the title of Duchess at the Duke's side, and what woman could not resist power? But every morning when she opened her eyes and all throughout the day, she wished she could be tied to the less rich, the less powerful, Yami Yugi... For, what woman could resist his strong hands, his cryptic, wood-violet eyes, his Mona Lisa smile?  
  
"Yes, yes..." She smiled at him and tried to remain lady-like while sitting there beside him. "We are so glad to have you back in London... And in our home."  
  
"Thank you." Yami replied and he flashed her a warming smile. "How I've missed it here!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: Okay, I hated that chapter, you hated that chapter, but sexy priest Kaiba is next... This should be good. Special thanks to Lady Shriannan for reviewin'! 


	3. The Siren Priest

Me: Well, since Meredith and Cammie have been nice enough to care, here's chapter 3: AKA Sexy Priest Kaiba Chappie!!!  
  
Seto: Get ready for me *does cheesy grin*  
  
Yami: *rolls eyes*  
  
NOTE: I am not Catholic. If anyone is, please help me on a few things and tell me if I'm wrong... I hope I don't make any mistakes but I might so please help me out if I do. ^^  
  
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Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! But soon I will! Then Buffy, then "Keep Myself Awake", then Placebo, Moulin Rogue, Fight Club and Philidelphia Story and finally...... THE WORLD!!!!!!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A man stood in the Roman Catholic Church after sunset when the evening mass was long over. He absentmindedly walked down the aisle, his rosary twirling again and again over his fingers. He was clad in the robes of a priest, and his blue eyes were glazed over in thought. The crisp, autumn rain pattered on the windows outside and it drew him to look out. His eyes fell over the soft quiet of London. Time stood still for him in the cold, dark church.   
  
He licked his lips and began to think. The silence and darkness always caused him to do this and when he began, the string of thoughts ached in his soul. He was the youngest of all the young priests, and the most handsome too. His eyelashes were long and dark, his eyes a crystalline blue, and he had strong, perfect hands. Hands that could make you drop to your knees with just a touch. But he had never touched anyone, not like that. When he was three months old, he had been found on the steps of the church, wrapped up tight against the cold. Ice hold crept over the streets and his eyelashes were caked in frost. The clergy had taken him in, and raised him to be priest. There was never any question about it.   
  
He stood with his head tilted against the window, his eyes scanning the streets below. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him in the blackness and turned to find the alter boy standing in the doorway.  
  
"Father Kaiba..." The priest smiled. Little Mokuba. He motioned for the boy to enter.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The girl... Miss Wheeler... She wishes to speak with you..."  
  
The priest sighed and nodded to the adolescent. "Very well, Mokuba... Have her in..."   
  
The young alter boy stifled a sigh, though he sounded much like the older boy in his slight exasperation. Mokuba had always idolized Father Kaiba. Yes, he had heard the whispered legend of how the young priest had come to the church, how his mother had been with child and there was no man to speak of, how easy it was to leap from this conclusion to the Father's arrival on the church steps as but a babe... But Mokuba did not think of him this way. Father Kaiba had always treated little Mokuba like a younger brother and Mokuba was grateful for it. He knew that the young priest was somewhat distant from the other religious figures and the other boys. Father Kaiba always looked somewhat... dark in his robes of purest white. And so Mokuba was grateful that the older male had chosen him to treat as an equal, or as close to an equal to Father Kaiba as was humanly possible...   
  
Sometimes, the priest would just sit and listen to the younger's problems, as a good priest should. Mokuba felt like the Father didn't mind though... But even Mokuba noticed the far-away look that sometimes played over the priest's eyes. And only Mokuba knew why. Father Kaiba had never told him this, but Mokuba thought he was lonely.--  
  
--Which was exactly why he kept the company of the lady, Miss Wheeler! Not a wealthy woman, but well off enough to be a true prize for the men of London. She was fourteen and still rosy cheeked, at the perfect age to be married. She made Mokuba sick. But he knew why Father Kaiba let her continue to join him in the darkened church.   
  
Mokuba ushered Miss Wheeler inside and then crept to the door. He threw a glance at the two as her left the church for his home  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Father..." Her small voice rang out through the church and she seemed frightened, as if she could not finish his name... She had been coming to the church, seeking the priest's council for a long time and never did she go to confess. She wanted to see his face when they spoke.  
  
"Hello Serenity..." The priest murmured. He reached out and took her hand. It was shaking. "Is something troubling you?"  
  
"I..." Her high little voice pierced the Father, who's God given name was Seto. Did he feel any sympathy for how torn she looked? Not in truth, no... But he pretended to. He pretended to care. It was his duty.   
  
"My mother and father have decided that I must be married. A very nice man called Tristan Taylor is who they have chosen. I do not despise him, nor do I love him... I wish to be a perfect wife to him, and a loving wife, and an honorable wife... But I... I..." Her voice was strained with what sounded like fear.  
  
"Go on." Seto soothed.   
  
"I wish not to marry him... because I am in love with another..."   
  
She watched the priest raise an eyebrow in a rare act of surprise. "Oh?"  
  
Her heart beat frantically beneath her breast as she hoped he would say something more, yet prayed that he would not ask for her secret love's name.   
  
"What a pity..." He sighed. "You must pray. And so I shall pray for you..."  
  
"For my happiness?"  
  
"For your FORGIVENESS."  
  
Her eyes grew wide. "I--I do not understand! I must be forgiven?"  
  
The priest's stolid expression seemed even grimmer after the room flamed, illuminated by the lightning outside. "Of course, young Serenity. You are not true to the man you must marry! This can not go without prayer and forgiveness."  
  
"But what can I do? These are my feelings! I cannot push them aside, nor close my eyes and deny their existence!"  
  
"You must!" Kaiba turned away from her then, and wound his rosary tightly around his fingers. "To deny your husband and deny your parents is to deny your God. This love of which you speak can only be a passing fancy. To embrace this 'love' is to clash with the will of God..."  
  
//If only you knew...// She thought, her heart weighing heavy. He turned his eyes on her again, parted his sensual lips and a timid cry escaped her. In the name of God, he was beautiful!--But also in the name of God, he had forsaken his appeal, his right to marry any woman he chose. No one could find him beautiful, and he could not want anyone else in that way. She did not wish to anger the Lord, her savior... But it seemed almost useless to fight the call of the siren priest.  
  
"No, Serenity. Do not shun Him for a fool's idle fancy. I shall pray for you, little one."  
  
"Thank you, thank you!!" She bowed to him, hoping to erase her dreams of the two of them entangled in a passionate embrace.   
  
"I do not wish to anger Him! If you believe that is a fool's fancy, then I am not fool!" She nodded to him and quickly shot a glance toward the church door.   
  
"I must go..." She held the words 'I love you' on her tongue for, right though they seemed, just the thought was wicked.   
  
"Good morrow my priest..."  
  
"Good morrow..." He mumbled dryly. Her cheeks flushed crimson and her eyes filled with reluctance, Serenity fled the church.   
  
The priest Seto Kaiba turned back to the window and again took up his vigil by the rain-streaked glass. If God would curse Serenity for her love of another man, he was not sure. In the darkness, with the sound of water in sheets upon an old building, he did not truly know what he believed.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: *le sigh* With me, things never turn out as well as everyone hopes. This chapter SUCKED!!!  
  
Seto: Yeah, but at least I got to be brooding and sexy *there's that OOC cheesy grin again -_-*  
  
Me: And that's NOT supposed to make me want to vomit?  
  
Yami: Please read more later ^o^  
  
Me: Thanks for pretending that anyone but Meredith and Lady Shriannan read this. Sigh, thanks you guys for putting up with my story.   
  
Seto: Chop, chop! More chapters about me!  
  
Me: Oh, and by the way, Seto/Serenity shippers: I am not one of you, though it may seem that way. Thought I'd tell you now before you get pissy with me. Toodles! 


	4. Setting the Stage

Me: Yay. Alli and Cammie both reviewed. *hands them mushrooms, Pistachios!, and a slice of left-over condolence ham. It might be really old (when exactly did you give that to me, Shriannan?) but who cares right? *eats a slice*  
  
Joey: 'Ey, gimmie some a'dat!  
  
Me: NO! MY three month old ham! MINE! *scarfs it all down*  
  
Seto: -_- How attractive...  
  
Me: Heh heh... On with the dysfunctional show!  
  
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Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! today... Maybe I'll get it for Christmas. If so, I'd have to make Yami dance around with tinsel in his hair and sing "I'm a Christmas Tree"! Yes, yes... That's grand.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"WHY must I do this again?" Isis moaned as she struggled with her corset. Bakura stood behind her, his eyes on the floor as he helped her tie it.   
  
"Don't you remember, Love? Joey needs someone to accompany him to the party tonight. I would go but..." Bakura chuckled. "I do not believe I would look acceptable on his arm."   
  
Isis laughed too and held tight to the doorframe as Bakura pulled the ribbons of her corset again. "I do understand that he is of high class, though he does not take advantage of his wealth..." She smiled as Joey's image played across her mind. He was an enigma almost. Many boys his age would fully immerse themselves into a wealthy family, as if burrowing into the richess and taking up a home there. But Joey instead joined a traveling theater troupe, which was almost unheard of. Well, he had never been the kind of boy to bother with frivolities and money.   
  
But tonight his family had been invited to a party. And Joey had been begged by his young sister to attended. Of course, everyone knew that his reputation was slandered as he had left the rich for the world of theater. But the family would pretend that this had never happened. And so would the others, save the women whispering in secret confession and the men chuckling over brandy in the late hours.   
  
Joey had pleaded with Isis to come with him, as something the wealthy could admire and associate with him. She was to pretend she was from outside of London, just come into money, the heiress to a newly struck fortune. Joey hoped this would help to protect his family somewhat from his return to the circle. Also, Serenity was to be married soon, and Joey had to go to the party, in order to meet her new bridegroom. Isis had promised to go with him but only now was she thinking of what she was diving into.   
  
"Which is exactly why you must help him take advantage of it." Bakura laughed, spinning Isis around and into his arms. "Bring back some engaging tales and perhaps a little wine for us."   
  
Isis snickered again and leaned into her friend of many years. "Bakura..." she spoke absentmindedly as she twirled a lock of the harlequin's snowy hair around her finger. "Do you really think I will fit in there?"  
  
He smiled down at her, kissed the top of her head and nodded. "I know you shall. You were made for royalty, though unluckily not born into it."   
  
In the back of her mind, Isis knew that his being in her bedroom while she changed was something so scandalous it was unheard of! But just being able to rest in his strong arms for a few moments and hear the calming words of a long-time friend made that irrelevant. She could not worry about what others thought of her if she wanted to be a part of the world of drama. It was what she loved, and so her reputation and modesty must cordially step aside for her love of the craft.   
  
As if reading her mind (something he was always good at), Bakura laughed and said, "Tonight, you must play the part of Inamorata, the most beautiful female lover. She is wealthy, lovely to view and perfect... I know you can be this because you act it out everyday." Isis blushed at his hidden comment and hugged him tight before stepping away to slide into her gown.   
  
After two quarters of an hour, Bakura turned to find not the Isis he had grown up with, not the Isis who's nose was always smudged with dirt as a child, and not the Isis who existed with him on the pageant wagon stage... but an Isis dripping in beauty and perfection. Her wealth and status were instantly transformed. A glowing gown reaching past her ankles wove around her body, hugging her frame tight. The color was red, showing the sun-streaked tints in her midnight hair, and her bodice rose with her nervous breathing. She bit her lower lip and waited for his approval.   
  
"Hnhhg..." was all he could manage to say at first and then, clearing his throat and again gaining his harlequin's smile, he shook his head in disbelief. "Tonight, the angels weep with envy, pet."  
  
She gave a cry of joy and took his hand as he led her outside to the coach that would take her to the party. As she stepped inside and saw Joey's mouth drop most UN-gentlemanly-like, a realization struck her that this was not merely another role as Inamorata...  
  
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Me: heh. I'm having so much fun writing useless, pointless stuff for myself ^_^ CHA! 


	5. The Stories Intertwine

Me: I am bored, tired, pissed cause I can't talk on the phone or watch one of my favorite episodes of Buffy so damn it all, I'll write.  
  
Yami: Uh oh... You might want to look out gentle readers  
  
Seto: Yeah... She's got her mad face on  
  
Me: And damn you too!  
  
Both: O.O *weren't especially expecting that*  
  
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Disclaimer: You have been disclaimed already!  
  
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Monsignor Kaiba, the favored priest of the local Catholic Church made his way in silence about the party. So many wealthy individuals, so many of the rich and famous; all faking smiles and putting on so many airs that they caked themselves with the poisoned venom of their own sick facade.   
  
As a high and well-respected member of the Catholic clergy in London, he was asked to attend these parties regularly. And as that well-respected Monsignor, he was forced to go, though he may have rather lingered in the dark church, lighting candles and thinking.   
  
The Duke and Duchess were Catholic though the official Church of England had so recently shifted to Protestant under the rule of King Henry VIII. Monsignor Seto Kaiba despised this fact, as his power would have been (and rightfully SHOULD have been) so much greater if he belonged to the Church of England. But the Duke; he was a Catholic and a dear close friend of Father Kaiba's.   
  
"Seto!" Speak of him, and so he shall come, the wily dog! --The ONLY man (or anyperson) alive who called him by his birth name.   
  
"My old friend, the Duke..." Monsignor Kaiba mused, bowing a little and joining him amidst the crowd of peacocks.   
  
"Dear Seto, how are you? Do you find my little party to your liking?"   
  
"Little, how droll!" laughed the priest in a way that was almost unheard of for a man of his occupation. "You seem to have half the kingdom in your home and then some! Of course, what can one expect from you?"   
  
Pegasus chuckled in the way that men of stature do and warmed the brandy between his fingers. "My, my... How you were born to be royalty!"   
  
Monsignor Kaiba managed a squeak of a laugh through a legitimate sigh. He knew he should have been of the blue-blooded aristocrats but the very problem was he had not been born into it!! He was thrown by the wayside on the steps of a snow-laced church as his destiny sped along on its way. Pegasus, of course, knew all of this but he was too rich for tact and too familiar with Seto to worry about his feelings.   
  
"I heard news today which I'm afraid I must tell..." Pegasus' lips spread in a serpent's as he began to leak a few secrets to his friend.   
  
"Oh?" Monsignor Kaiba raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice as if he had been doing this his whole life: this, of which I speak, is being an aristocrat. //May God bless Pegasus// Seto's dark mind mused. //Only when I am in his carefree presence can I live as one of them.//  
  
"The Wheelers. Their eldest son has come back to the circle for a night... presumably to meet his little sister, Serenity's, bridegroom... my nephew."   
  
"A Mister Tristan Taylor..." The priest spoke, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "YOUR nephew?"   
  
"Indeed..." nodded the Duke. "He is... madly in love with her, you know..."   
  
Father Kaiba held his tongue in regards to what he indeed did know. "So I have heard... And Serenity?"   
  
"Oh, they will surely be married before the year is out; I have no doubt of that." Pegasus grinned as if he was a predator seconds before over-taking his prey. "What I am anxious to see... is their boy, Joey Wheeler, attempt to glide from the theater to our world... splinters from the stage still in his feet, I am sure."   
  
The priest and the Duke both laughed at this and the party continued on. Pegasus would smile and wave at the gentlemen and women who paraded through his home, all the while mumbling horrid things about them under his breath to the Monsignor. Said Monsignor only nodded and reproduced the same smile.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Joey!" Serenity Wheeler, barely a week past fourteen and seeming so young, threw her arms about her brother of long absence and cried as she held him. He laughed and spun her in a tiny circle before addressing his mother and father. Excluding Serenity's warm greeting, the rest of Joey's family seemed quite placid and rehearsed toward the boy, thought Isis. But then his fingers softly brushed her elbow as if to warn her that he would now begin her temporary induction into the circle.   
  
"Mother... Father..." His hand reassuringly and protectively at her elbow again, he smiled down at her, and then locked eyes with his parents. "This is Isis Ishtar. She is not a native of our fair London but British through and through."   
  
Isis bowed her head properly and smiled at the older couple who quizzidly watched her. "Hello..."   
  
They nodded to her politely and called Serenity to their side.   
  
"You must go fetch Mr Taylor immediately, my child, so that your brother may meet him," Her mother said quickly. Serenity nodded but Isis detected her face going a shade paler at the mention of Mr Taylor's name. However, she was too embarrassed to truly mull over it, for Joey's mother and father had only barely recognized her presence before turning over to Serenity. She was, though, a bit relieved that she did not love Joey, nor did he feel the same, or she would have been truly crestfallen.   
  
But when she looked at Joey's face, she saw that he was dejected, not for their callousness to her, but their complete and obvious distaste for everything Joey did. She reached down and squeezed his hand comfortingly (still not knowing if that was acceptable and not truly caring). He immediately smiled, to hide his shame, and took her by the arm again, leading her inside after his pale little sister and icy parents.  
  
Upon entering the house, they were greeted a thousand times by people much more interested in Joey's "affair" with a new young lady than his parents had been. "Where did you two happen to meet?" "Who is your family?" "When did you come into your money?" "My, what a lovely gown!" Isis was completely overwhelmed by the myriad of comments, questions and gossip that reached her virgin ears. She was not used to wealth and extravagance of this kind.   
  
And yet, after she had begun yet another conversation with yet another stranger whispering about yet another person she did not or would never know, she reached out to find Joey gone. He had not left her side all night and had promised that he wouldn't, as to keep her safe from any situation she knew not how to handle. In bewilderment and perhaps a bit of fear, Isis turned and wandered away from the crowd, knowing she now had to keep herself safe. But it was never something new to her. Quietly, she ascended the staircase of the Duke's home, slipping into the dining room first so as not to attract attention.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Monsignor Kaiba was no longer that. Seto stood before a mirror, admiring himself in some of the Duke's finest clothing. He had shed his priest's robes and stepped into this clothing without an moment of guilt. It was what he belonged in. Turning before the mirror, he sighed, wondering if (supposing that he did believe in the Catholic faith) he would be damned for this. No, he could not... He need only ask for forgiveness (supposing that was what he believed would save him) and it would be granted. What a cruel, twisted path called destiny he had taken on the journey of life... And truly, could it be his fault? Could he have prevented it as a babe brushed with ice left to a life of solitary isolation the moment he was placed on that step? No. It was not his doing.  
  
"Oh, excuse me! I--I did not know there was someone here--"  
  
Seto was jolted from his bitter thoughts and thrown from his misery of gloom and darkness into sudden daylight. Something pierced the darkness, like a beam of iridescent morning. That something had been a voice. Perfect, like falling snow or summer rain. And when he turned to look at her, he almost dropped to his knees.   
  
Her body delicate and perfect, the curves obvious through the red silk of her dress. Her hands clasped at her waist, as if waiting to be told to leave. Her face like an angel's, but also like no angel he had ever seen in all of his years in that church. Her lips, red as flame and redder than the dress that held her so tight. Long, midnight hair cascading down her back like a wave breaking at the shore. And her eyes, oh! Her eyes held the universe in no way he had ever seen it before. How could he even manage to speak in the presence of a true and divine goddess?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: See, writing does make me feel better. I am now in a calm, tranquil state of mind and mood. That "Ashokan Farewell" song makes me that way, ya know ^_~  
  
Yami: *clears throat* I think you're having a little too much fun with Seto! I want more of me!  
  
Seto: But it's not what the people want! THEY... want ME!!!!  
  
Me: Hmm... Maybe it's because I'm writing so much about you that nobody reads this crap.  
  
Seto: *BURNS!*  
  
Me: Anyway, love you all. Please... please review 


	6. The Most Beautiful Woman He'd Ever Seen

Me: HEH! *is listening to "Hell" by the Squirrel Nut Zippers* This song works for your character, Seto! It's where he's going!  
  
Seto: WHAT?! WHY!?!  
  
Me: *psh!* I dunno... Cause you're lusting after Isis when you took an oath and a vow of C-H-A-S-T-I-T-Y!!!!!!  
  
Seto: o-_-o Only because you made me...  
  
Yami: *dances to "Hell" cause he thinks no one's paying attention to him*  
  
Me: Heh heh... Sorry... Anyway, how is everyone? Good? That's just peachy ^^ On with the fic!!!  
  
Seto: The fic that three people read  
  
Me: And the fic I enjoy the hell out of! *puts on "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon* There's some Christmas sentiment for you!!!!!!!!!! Heh heh heh... *sigh* We miss you Warren!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! There, are you happy? You reminded me again! But I own... uhm... Four trench coats!!! *buahahahahahaha!* *cuddles trench coats* God, I sound like Kaiba!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Isis stood there for what seemed like ages as the man in the empty bedroom stared at her, frighteningly as if he had never seen a woman before in his life. Finally, it all became too much for her and she turned to go, muttering apologies and looking at the floor.  
  
"No, please!!!" Seto scrambled over to the mystery woman as fast as he could and seized her arm, pulling her to him. Yet, he was not familiar with women or the emotion this particular one sent surging through him and he pulled her too quickly, too close.   
  
Her back collided with his chest and his hand stayed tight around her wrist as she let out a gasp. His breathing was harsh and raspy and he knew that he should probably let her go... but he just couldn't. He could not, for the life of him, for the death of him, for the sanity of him, bring himself to let her go.   
  
"I am sorry to have disturbed you..." She murmured and he realized that she was almost used to this sort of thing, but rightly had not expected it at a place like this. "Now, please. Let me go and I shall not bother you again."  
  
His fingers trembled as they gripped tight to her wrist. He could feel his heart beating against her back, his other hand on her waist which had not moved since he had placed it there to steady her. He was so close, he could smell her: a scent like autumn rain and hearth fires. //My God... God...// A pause and reality seeped back into his mind, like the cold light of day. //Oh, God...//   
  
Suddenly he was able to let go. His eyes downcast, he swallowed and quickly and breathily said,   
  
"My apologies... I did not know who you were... I--I believed you were someone I knew..." He cringed at the lie and how completely untrue it was. But how could he explain what he hardly understood himself?   
  
"I-It is fine. See, I am not hurt." His eyes locked with hers when he realized that she had believed his lie completely. With never having much of a chance to be wicked and twist the truth, he had never known that he had a knack for that very thing.   
  
"Oh, yes... I-I see..." How could he NOT see?! He had not noticed any of the other women at the party but also had not truly looked at them. Or perhaps it was the fact that his priestly robes were crumpled in a heap on the floor, and he was here, dressed as a gentleman. //Gentlemen's clothing must have a potent effect// He mused. //I merely look at her and lightning surges through my very veins...//  
  
"Again, I am terribly sorry to have disturbed you..." She coyly watched him under the curtain of her black hair. He intrigued her and something inside of her quivered to the sound of his voice or the caress of his eyes. He was handsome, yes, with the build of a strong, young aristocrat... And hands... Hands that seemed weary with life in their long fingers and hollowed palms.   
  
"Do not be..." A voice appeared in his mind, chiding him for what he was poised to say. He silenced it. "...Forgive me... but never in my life have I met a woman as fair and beautiful as you..."   
  
She paused at the strength and sweet perfume of his words. "W-what is your name, good sir, if I may be so bold?"  
  
The name and title he used normally curled on his tongue and he heard himself say, "Seto... Kaiba. I am a distant nephew of the   
  
Duke."  
  
"Ah... Then you must be the brother of a Mr Tristin Taylor." She was happy to have placed him.   
  
"Cousin." He stated quickly. "Removed." He did not wish to attach himself that closely with anyone. After all, he was slightly bending this truth. Though he was good friends with the Duke, they were far from blood kin.  
  
"Oh... Forgive me..."  
  
"You have no reason to be forgiven... But, please, my lady, would you by any chance have a name?"  
  
He was watching her in that way again. She felt exposed to his eyes, as if he was drinking her essance. Stuttering, she tried to keep her confident air, tried to suspend the illusion that she was of wealthy blood.  
  
"I am Isis Ishtar," she gave a slight nod in his direction.   
  
"Are you native to our London?"   
  
"I am afraid not, but English, of course."  
  
"Of course..." He paused and then deepened his voice to a more confident and seductive tone.   
  
"Perhaps you might need a guide?"  
  
Though London was more of a home to her than even the tiny house she had been born and raised in, she blinked and smiled.   
  
"Perhaps..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They had slipped from the party, unnoticed, and walked through the silent streets, bracing the cool night air. After a time, she realized that if he asked to take her home, her only choice would be to bring him to the back allies, to where she and the others kept their pageant wagon, their home. Looking at him out of the corner of one painted eye, she could not help but realize that she could never let that happen. //Please, please... Let him think me an aristocrat. Let him... believe I am like him...//  
  
"I must be getting home..."   
  
"May I take you?" He did not know exactly if that was custom. Though he knew how to act at a party by watching those around him for so many years, Seto did not have the experience with women and had never been on a darkened street alone with one.   
  
"No, I shall be fine."   
  
"Let me get you a coach at least."  
  
She smiled slightly and teased him with, "If you must..."   
  
The coach had arrived. All that was left was to say goodnight. To return home... Whatever home was, be it a darkened church smelling of candle wax and fog, or a tiny cart in a dingy part of London... All that was left was to bid farewell.   
  
"I enjoyed your company, Mr Seto Kaiba."  
  
"And yours, Miss Ishtar."  
  
He watched her from where she stood, directly under a moonbeam, one foot on the road beside the carriage. A man held open the door for her but she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the gentleman standing in front of her. Seto tensed. Did a man kiss a woman if he just met her? He did not know! How could he begin to guess?!  
  
Isis bit her lip as she waited. Did he kiss her now? She had kissed many men but not with love. Perhaps once while infatuated but dozens of stage kisses did not count, save she had become quite skilled at it. But God only knew if he was to kiss her now!!! She waited.   
  
Seto hoped she would not be offended... No-no, he couldn't! But he WANTED to... Taking her hand in his own, he kissed her lips tenderly as she braced herself with his arm. Energy shot through him and his whole body sizzled, though he could not feel his toes. When he released her, he whispered,   
  
"When may I see you again, Miss Ishtar?"   
  
"Tomorrow... Sundown. In the park." She stepped into the carriage quickly, leaving both of them dazed but first turned to say,   
  
"And please... call me Isis..." The door shut and as she sped away, Seto felt not one ounce of guilt, not one foreshadow to the tangled nightmares of sin and purgatory he would have that night... His mind could only process the feel of her lips and how her fingers had so tightly gripped his arm.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami strolled along the streets of London's core, wanting to take a moment away from the homes of the wealthy and streets of many sycamores. Tea had been acting strangely this morning and had seemed unusually irritable with Pegasus. Yami decided that the city was best.   
  
As he turned the corner, he smiled to see a play coming to its climax on a pagent wagon stage. The audience was howling with applause, laughter, and "encores!" Yami put his hands together in applause as well. The lovers were bowing now before the approving townsfolk. Suddenly his hands ceased their silent clapping. Suddenly his heart ceased to beat. There, on the stage, he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: *grumbles* I HATED that chapter SO much!!! But I might have an idea for the next one, so hopefully it'll make up. The real reason I updated was not to bug Lady Shriannan with it (but I do, sorry, Shri...) was because one of my reviewers asked me please to continue. Thanks so much, KIM, you were so nice in your reviews! ^_^ I just wanted to post something since I couldn't email you because you didn't leave an address. But thanks so much!   
  
Seto: I love being loved.  
  
Yami: Yeah, but I love her for who--  
  
Me: Silence, you stupid asses! Anyway, KIM, thanks so much!!! And to SHRI, hope it didn't suck too much. Sorry I can't get myself to add to Kiss from the Angel of Death. Every time I look at it, I go all Buffy and think, "Where do we go from here?" I have no idea what to do... And to any other possible readers, all the world's a stage and please review ^_~ 


	7. Chains That Bind Me

Me: Hey, wow! Lotsa people reviewed O.O And that was like... The worst chapter ever! Double O.O   
  
Seto: Hurry up!  
  
Me: Oh, I'd doubt you would be so eager for the story to begin if you knew what was to happen--  
  
Seto: Huh!?  
  
Me: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Yami: *laughs at Seto* You got told!  
  
Seto: *burns*  
  
Me: *to Yami* Well that was OOC!  
  
Yami: Just write!  
  
Me: Fine. Oh, and KIM, I haven't heard from you yet but I hope you find the updates to your liking ^_^ Also, AmbieChan, yes I would never want to change Seto's beautifully dark character much. It seems, though, when he's dressed as the nobleman, he becomes a different person. So we'll see where that leads... Everyone please do continue to keep me informed on your ideas and comments ^_~  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
He climbed the stairs rigidly to his bedroom. The night was cold and the rain falling on the roof deafening, but he would never know. He unlocked the bedroom door and shuffled silently across the floor. She had let him hold her... kiss her... And-- He swallowed. He knew it was inevitable that the day would come where things would become more than a dance with fire. They would explode into a gigantic holocaust. To kiss her was divine ecstasy, but he could not imagine the guilt, the nightmares that would come once they had finally-- But he wanted her. Oh, God. Again, his mind froze with that hot, powerful word. It came down to this for him: If he and Isis made love, there would be no turning back.  
  
As these thoughts filled his head, he unconsciously changed from the noble's clothing to his priest's robes. Again, he was dark Monsignor Kaiba, Father Kaiba... He felt as if a different man took over his body with just the switch of some vibrantly-hued garments.   
  
Suddenly, even though the rain, he picked up a faint rapping on the door. Seto and Monsignor Kaiba alike had fantastic hearing. He went to the door and pulled it open quietly. Never, NEVER, in his wildest dreams could he have predicted who was at the door.   
  
"Father Kaiba..." Serenity Wheeler's eyes immediately dropped to the floor and he cheeks burned with crimson embarrassment. Oh... He was here! He looked at her as if he had would not have been more surprised to see the Queen herself.   
  
"Serenity...!" He paused to collect himself, began to ask how she had found his residence, thought better of it, and invited her in.   
  
"Father..." Her eyes still cast on the floor, this seemed to be about all she could say.   
  
"It is late, Serenity..."   
  
"Yes, but this could not wait... Not for tomorrow night, and not for confession on Sunday..."   
  
"You must learn to respect the rules of the church, Miss Wheeler..." Seto said icily, turning his head and striding to the window.   
  
Tears laced her questioning eyes, but she fought them back. He had told her, should she ever need to speak to him, that he would be there!!! That she would not be forced to tell him in confession!!! He had said all these things and she had trusted him!!!   
  
"W--what?"  
  
Seto ran his long fingers over his eyes and sighed. "Go on, Serenity... Tell me."  
  
Her tongue could not form words and the tears glazed over her vision. Then he moved and turned to look at her with tested patience. Suddenly, her lips cried,   
  
"I still... I cannot marry Mr Taylor! I do not love him! And--And the one I do love... He matters too much, Father! Even if I can never be with him..." She paused, wanting to sum up her frustrations in one plea. She succeeded. "I daren't promise my heart to a man when it belongs to another! I would only cause Mr Taylor grief and pain and--"  
  
  
  
"You will marry him, Serenity." These words came, so hollow and sure, she was stunned speechless.   
  
"You WILL marry him..." Seto continued, "Because you MUST marry him. Put away your childish fancies, Serenity... Some of us are never meant to hold the sun in our hands. You must know your place."   
  
The irony of his speaking these words to the trembling child was cruel and biting but he did not waver. Only set aside the guilt that churned inside him and ripped the girl mercilessly to shreds. "You shall marry him, Miss Wheeler. So is the will of God."  
  
Serenity's breath caught in her throat. No... No, it was not meant to be this way! Quickly, she said the only thing she could think of to stay afloat in the sapphire ocean of his eyes.   
  
"I--I would not know how to be a good wife to him."  
  
"Serenity!" Seto sighed in frustration. "Has your mother not told you?! To honor your husband, care for your children..."   
  
"No..." She held up a tiny, laced hand to stop him. "Of course she has... But I-- do not know how to... 'please' him..."  
  
Seto turned to stare at her. A silence passed over them, like clover creeping across a forgotten statue. She knew she had to speak. Slowly, she took a wary step toward him.  
  
"I--I have never even been touched by a man," Step. "...Never been held..." Step. "Never been... kissed..."   
  
Leaning upward on her toes, her mouth reached for his. She could his bottom lip between hers and shut her eyes tight to deafen the blow. Her heart beat faster and her eyelids fluttered. She remembered believing that it would forever be the most thrilling moment of her life..........  
  
Finally, she drew back, eyes still closed, lips still parted, mind still believing that her prince had come. But the cold voice that followed reminded her of what she had really done... and why she would burn for it...  
  
"So.......... THIS is your fairy tale lover! Come to entreat me, then?-- To make me love you as well? Serenity, you are a fool. There are such chains that bind me, child. And you want me to touch you, hold you... kiss you?!"  
  
"Only to tell me you love me! When I know this I may carry on forever without even an embrace!" Her mind was wild, flooded with love. She clung to his sleeve and he wrenched away.   
  
"I cannot LOVE," He hissed. "I cannot be a husband to a wife, a lover to a woman! How can you possibly ask this of me?! Should I cast behind me all that I was brought up to be? What do you think of me?!"   
  
"YOU are ALL I think OF!" Tears streamed down her cheeks again. "Please-- PLEASE!... You must-- You MUST love me..."  
  
"I mustn't love ANYONE! Go now, Serenity! I cannot coddle your childish dreams!" Turning from her, the hem of his robes lashed her ankles and she fled while he stared out the window.  
  
Silently, he crossed the room and sat down on his bed, his strong hands in fists. Fury and fear clouded him. Damn Serenity! She was only a child, throwing herself upon the sword, playing with a rogue fire because it seemed glamorous. She would never know--  
  
But Isis! Such a divine, radiant creature! A woman, with form and poise. She made him feel a way that Serenity, with thin hips and blushing cheeks, could never conjure inside him. It was a feeling that burned. A fire, so it seemed, again. He was always feeling as if he were on fire. So many thoughts of flames, heated desires, infernos... He wondered if soon his whole mind may burst into a licking fire, so great that it would burn him alive.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: Hey. I know the chapter was short but I had a whole nother part to it and I just thought... I can't add to this. It ends a chapter. Plus I want to see what you think about Seto yelling at Serenity and so... well, I just got greedy ^_^ But the second part to this mini chapter is already written and will be posted as soon as I can get off my lazy ass and...uh... post it! ^_^ Ciao 


	8. But I am in Love

Me: Yo-ness. CherryRedHead reviewed the last chapter and told me to get off my lazy ass and post so... will do ^_^ Also, thanks to Kim for making me want to continue this lost, pressumed-dead fic ^_^ Glad you like it still. To Ishizu-Ishtar123, thanks for your inspiring reviews. I gotta get some of those printed on coffee mugs ^_~ AmbieChan, thanks for the always-positive reviews and for your comments on Seto's character. And glad you like the Yami/Tea/Pegasus triangle: there's a little more of it in this chappie. Also, much thanks and love to zucool and Kamoku-Na-Ningyou. And to Lady Shri and Alli, whom I haven't heard from lately. I miss you *tear*   
  
Seto and Yami: *in terrible British accents* GET ON WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
  
Me: I never should have let them watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail with me... -_-;;;  
  
Anyway, love and pistachios for everyone cause I feel so happy and generous! Here's the next chappie and a little I added while in the mood. ^_^  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"The storm is getting worse, me lady."  
  
Tea looked up from her lazy needlepoint to lock eyes with her servant, Rebecca.   
  
"Yes..." She continued on with not another word. Something must occupy her hands and time, which explained the embroidery. But she could not quiet those agonizing thoughts that continuously plagued her. Ever since Yami had come home the night before the present one, he had seemed lost in another world. One which, no matter how she questioned and pried, he would not let her enter in. But he was happy... God, how she wished to know what made him so deliriously happy...   
  
Suddenly, there was a frantic banging heard from outside the house. Tea put down her work and stood, wondering what it could be and if, perhaps, the storm had torn something from its rightful place and this thing was now reaking havoc.   
  
"Tea! Tea!" She heard someone cry from the entrance hall. Her hand flew to her lips as a good lady's would and she hurried out of her parlor and into the hall.   
  
"Serenity!" She had known the voice upon hearing it and so, was not surprised to see the girl shivering in the doorway.   
  
"O cousin, cousin!" Serenity ran forward, seized her elder by the waist and sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. Tea held her relative and rocked her back and forth comfortingly, wondering where Serenity's tears ended and the fierce storm outside began.   
  
Finally, the young girl managed to quell her tears enough so that Tea could lead her to her private parlor. Another pause was had as Serenity sniffed int a hankercheif while she sat on the couch and Tea bid all her servants go. Then she sat down before her cousin, and sighed.   
  
"Well, Serenity... What has happened?"  
  
Shakily, Serenity proceeded to tell the story. How she was being told to marry Mr Taylor when really, she loved another man; how she had finally told this man of her undying devotion... and how he had denied her. All the while, she sobbed and wrung her hands nervously. You see, Serenity had forgotten one, important detail: the name of the man whom she loved.   
  
"His eyes were so cold, dear cousin, his voice like an icy wind! I ran, and soon found myself far from him. It was raining and cold... And then I saw the sycamores... and ran all the way here." Her eyes dropped and she sighed, "Most unlady-like. I tore the hem of my dress."  
  
"Yes, so it would seem..." Tea stood and walked to the window, watching the watery ribbons glide down the pane.  
  
"I suppose now I have no other choice but to marry Mr Taylor. He is a good man and I shall try to be a good wife to him. Perhaps even learn to love him. And all in all, he is very wealthy."   
  
Tea turned toward the girl who was wringing her hands and sighing. Suddenly, a spark went up inside the woman at the window as she remembered the look in Yami's eyes when they used to pass their idle childhood hours together. She could not let Serenity make the same mistake.   
  
"Serenity, you mustn't marry Tristin Taylor! If you do not love him, it shall never be worth it, never!"  
  
This had been radical thinking on both their parts for the time. It was not in vogue to marry for love. But Tea would rather be in the arms of the less wealthy Yami Yugi and Serenity was much less than proper when it came to the man she loved.   
  
Still, after Tea spoke those words, Serenity turned to stare up at her, a tear-stained face wearing an expression of awe.  
  
"Cousin..." She said quietly.   
  
"You must, Serenity!" Tea went to her and took her hands. "Do not let go of a man you know can make you happy. Fight. Fight to keep what is yours!" Her eyes locked with those of her cousin, a personal revolution burning between them. "Do not regret loving someone..."  
  
"And it is never too late to change the past..." Tea's eyes widened and Serenity smiled with her own words. "You speak as if from experience."  
  
Tea collected her thoughts and nodded. "So we shall..."  
  
The both smiled at the delicious possibilities of having all that they wanted, ignoring the possible consequences and the approaching storm, as everyone seems to do.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The silver-haired man chuckled and warmed the brandy between his long fingers as lighting split the sky outside.   
  
"So... the woman you love has been here in London all along... Too bad you have done all that traveling for nothing..."   
  
"Pegasus, you're not listening!" Yami could not stand to sit still. He paced back and forth anxiously, attempting to acheive his friend's understanding and support. "She's all I ever wanted! I must have her!"  
  
"So all that you ever wanted, Yami, was a tanned woman parading on a pagent-wagon stage?" There was a moment's pause and Pegasus sighed. "I am sure she is undoubtably beautiful, but my dear boy, you know nothing else of her! Is she obediant? Can she work?--"  
  
"Work?" Yami's eyes narrowed. "No wife of MINE will 'work'! You should know that, Pegasus!"  
  
"WIFE?!" Pegasus was now the one who seemed surprised. "Come now, Yami... You do not seriously believe that the two of you can possibly, under any circumstances... wed?! She is an... actor." He said this as if it were some vile thing, like a beetle or snake. "Perhaps, with risk, you may be able to employ her as a maid... and have your way with her then... but only if no one were to discover what she used to be!"  
  
The agitated gentleman on his feet was completely speechless. Finally, he managed to sputter,  
  
"She will NEVER be employed under me! I shall take her as my wife, Pegasus! You do not understand... I am in love with her!"  
  
"You are in love with a nothing!" Pegasus was completely shocked by his friend's revelation. "She is but a peasant, IS beneath you! Why can you not concurr to taking her as a servant? That way, you can have her under the nose of your WIFE... This is the way things are!"  
  
"I will not have her as a mistress!"Yami roared, slamming his fist on the small table and falling to his knees. "I love her..."  
  
"You do not even know her name..." Pegasus sighed, giving into the fact that his younger companion was foolish by age.   
  
"I will..." Yami paused and gazed out the window at the pitch-black night as rain continued to pound above them. "I will... and she will love me..."  
  
Pegasus sipped his brandy quietly as Yami attempted to control his uneven breathing and quick-beating heart.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: Hmmm... Seems like a little too much was going on in that chapter that I didn't convey. Sorry, that one sucked.   
  
Seto: If you've got any suggestions for the next chapter, don't hesitate to mention them.   
  
Me: Yes, please mention. I haven't written anything in four days (which is way... WAY weird for me) and so please give me a little help. A push in the right direction, so to speak. I need it. Not that I have had writer's block but... Just that I won't let myself write. Yeah, I'm insane. Anyway, I'd been saving this on my comp since Sunday but couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with it. It's posted now. hope you enjoy. 


	9. The Storm Breaks

Me: ^___^ Well, it's time to take another useless stab at this fic though I have no idea where it's going or what I want to add to it. But I just went to badgerbadgerbadger.com and watched a video about a cat who can smell other cat's brains so I'm in one of those moods... Thought I'd use my weird creative energy to add a weird chapter ^_^ K?  
  
Also, thanks to AmbieChan for your advice on this chapter, I'll try to use it, and for noticing that yes indeed, the infamous, teddy bear-toting Rebecca did make a cameo. Viva la vie boheme! (okay, that didn't belong...) Anyway, thanks for my inspiring reviews from everyone else (and from zucool who said Isis was cool like me. Really? I never pictured myself to be put in a cool group with Isis. Thanks!) and please read if you dare...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They stood before the door, neither of them willing to move a single inch, for stepping through this particular doorway was inviting in momentary bliss but surely future damnation.   
  
"Seto?" She said, her voice turning up a little in question. She was afraid of the consequences, of course. If they were to go through with this, he would most likely ask her to marry him... And that is when it would be no longer possible to hide behind her mask of counterfeit diamonds. She would have to admit that she was a rogue and a worthless actor... a crystal fake among the jewels.   
  
But why did he seem so pensive? Could he be hiding something as well?  
  
The man stiffened to the sound of his name as a question. She attempted to dive into his ocean eyes, wanting to know. He turned away, collected his thoughts, and then Seto spoke,   
  
"Isis..." Slowly, he considered the question. "Are you ready?"  
  
Lord knows she was afraid of his finding out about her but never in her whole life had she been more ready and more needing than now.   
  
Softly, she slipped her hand into his and whispered, "I am..."  
  
A calm washed over him and he swallowed his fears. He knew this meant that he could never turn back, but he knew, he KNEW, that he had never wanted to anyway. And so, he wrapped his long fingers around her dainty palm and unlocked the door to his bedroom.   
  
There was a slow pause as she stepped inside and he turned to lock the door behind them. Though they both had limited knowledge of the aristocratic life, one thing was for certain: they knew what was expected of them in this situation. Isis knew that, as a "blosoming debutant" she should be saving herself for marriage. This was surely a scandal that she had chosen to sleep with Seto before he pleged marriage. But he had not asked and she had grown impatient. They had been meeting secretly for a fortnight and Isis could no longer curb her desires. She had been in many ill-met relationships and knew what was expected. Yes, Isis was never a woman who gave herself up for money but she had been with a man before. And so, she shivered, wondering if she was a clever enough actor to make him believe he was her first.   
  
Seto's hands shook on the locked doorknob. He knew he was supposed to lead her through this, to be knowledgeable of the whole process, especially because this was something that was happening before he asked her to marry him. Now, granted, Seto had not asked her and had not intentended to ask at any time in the near future. He still shook with confusion and fear at the touch of her hand on his. But he was supposed to know how, perhaps even done this before. It was logical. Every man attended the brothels and such once in his life, he had heard confessions from the men. Every man... save the priests. And he could not even begin to touch her, even if he knew that his instincts would come to his aid.  
  
The silence was like a hot blanket smothering them both. Isis finally crept toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met and locked. For a time, that was all they needed but then she spoke.   
  
"Is it me?"  
  
Seto's face softened almost imediately and his lips parted to say, "No! No, of course not!" He groped for the only thing he was thinking that would not give him away. "But... are you positive that this is what you want?"   
  
"I have never wanted anything so much in my life." It was true.   
  
Seto stifled a moan at her words and slowly trailed his fingertips up her arm and through her long, midnight hair. She shivered.   
  
"Nor have I."  
  
His lips claimed hers and a slow rain began in the darkened city streets. It was a rain that washed all of London clean of its sins, for Seto Kaiba no longer could, as his own chained him to eternal purgatory.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Nervously, Serenity pulled on her auburn hair and shivered in the rainy afternoon as she waited. She wanted to see him come to his door and then it would be easier to pretend she was only passing by. He would see her rain-soaked body and insist that she came in until the storm passed. After all, he was a priest. He could not just turn her away. She waited and held her shoulder tight, hoping for some warming solace before just seeing him was all the warmth she needed.   
  
It had been raining like this for four days straight. She had hoped to go and see him and try this plan of catching him in the rain but her mother and father had been so busy preparing for the wedding, they had not once let her out of their sight. Also, Tristin had been nearby very often and insisted that they spent time together. The theatre, dinner, tea... She was a constant fixture on his arm at all parties. And that was why, for a month and four days, she had not managed to slip away and dash to Seto's residence.   
  
She honestly believed in Tea's advice and knew that she must seize it. It was time to take what was hers. Suddenly, a dark shape moved from front door of the buiding she stood watching. And then another. Her eyes narrowed questioningly and her pretty lips fell to a look of confusion. Who was coming out of Father Kaiba's home? Silently, she crept closer and tried to make out the identity of the shapes in the driving haze of rain. The clouds had made the whole city dark in the early evening and she strained to see the two at the door. Well, one was Father Kaiba. The hands, the tall, cool presence; things she had studied too long during her life not to recognize. But who was the other. When Serenity watched this second person turn, all the air in her lungs seemed lost.   
  
It was a woman. A woman standing with Father Kaiba, (Seto!), in the rain! Coming from his house! No... No! There had to be an explaination... But when she saw his arm wrap around the woman's slender waist and his lips move down to meet hers, Serenity could no longer deny... The auburn-haired girl hiding in the cover of sweet-smelling rain watched the man she loved kiss another woman for the first time. The sting of jealousy tore her heart and she felt as if she could not breathe.   
  
She never was able to make out the woman's face, though she watched until a carriage arrived and took her away, until the man at the door turned and slipped quietly back inside, until the tears that ran down her cheeks blended with the rain so that she could no longer tell them apart. But she knew that if she ever saw this woman again, she would know her. The hatred in her heart branded the woman in her brain and she knew she would recognize the figure of the one who it seemed that Father Kaiba (Seto...) loved more than the little girl standing in the rain.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Me: *sigh* Yeah, well, hopefully that sets up for a nice hefty couple of chapters. Lets see where it takes us ^_~ Keep readin'! 


	10. the Lovers and the Sinners

Me: I ::heart:: summer. But soon it's gonna end. ::cries::   
  
YGO characters: ::a bit conserned but try to make an effort:: Yaaaaay...   
  
Me: Heh heh... Okay, now... Lessee... Ah, yes, Serenity knows, Kaiba decieves, Tea plots, Yami dreams, Isis questions, Pegasus gloats and BAKURA PLAYS THE TAMBORINE!!! He'll do it soon, I promise you... Anyway, yeah, I just got an idea for some chapter-licous fun So lets see what happens here. Good times, people... Goooooood times.   
  
Note: Ah... -- See, I have NO idea what it's like in a Catholic church... Or any church... Hmm... Anyway, if I mess it up, PLEASE TELL ME so that I can profusely apologize and say things like "Erm... just disreguard most of that chapter..." or "Yeah, I was WAY wrong about this..." Let me know please I'll try not to do too much of it at all but... well, a little bit needed to be included in this chapter.

* * *

Father Kaiba (as he was today) stood at the alter of the church, watching as his flock poured in to hear the word of God. But Father Kaiba was no longer their priest, nor they his flock, nor he the one who deserved to pass on something so righteous as the word of God. He wasn't even fit to be called Father anymore, as he had broken his vows to church and to God. And so, Seto (as he will henceforth only be called) should have bowed his head in shame, should have admitted his guilt, his sin, his betrayal... But he didn't. For Seto (Father, Monsignor or otherwise) had never truly believed in Catholicism. Laughing a bit, he mentally admitted that he didn't know if he truly believed in God. In all honesty, Seto should have been ashamed of what he'd done and the memory should have chained him to his own towers of flaming hell... But Seto felt more free than he ever had in his weary life. And every time he remembered what he'd shared with Isis... he knew he wouldn't have traded it for all the forgiveness this "God" had.   
  
So the Cardinal began to walk, passing priests and other holy men alike, to the alter. His eyes lingered for a moment, just a moment, on Seto, who raised his own icy irises to stare back. The Cardinal's thick eyebrow raised as if he saw something strange in Seto but then passed by. The dark haired boy in priest's robes reached up with his long fingers and traced his lips, feeling their expression. He was smirking.   
  
The noble and the fine sat in the pews, looking concerned about their hats or their fancy clothes or the rain that was sure to soil them if they didn't find a carraige quickly. It had been raining for days now, had not let up. Though this was common in England, the people could not shake the uneasy apprehension that accompanied the crying skies. Why had it not let up, at least for a day? Why was it so persistant? Why?   
  
Maxamillion Pegasus sat back against the hard wood of the pew and turned his gaze on his pretty little wife, her blue eyes burning fixedly into the statue of Christ on the cross. She seemed anxious for the sermon to begin and yet on edge for more reasons. Finally, she shivered slightly and turned to the man at her left, not to Pegasus.   
  
"Yami... My hands are cold. Do you mind if I put my hand in the pocket of your coat? Just until it's warm enough so that I can let it warm my other?"   
  
The young man blinked and nodded saying, "Of course, Tea..." Though they had been friends for years, Yami somehow could not fathom why it had to be his pocket and not Pegasus's, to whom she was wed. Her tiny hand slipped into the pocket of his coat and he cleared his mind, thinking nothing else of it.   
  
Oh, she was a crafty young maid, this shrewish wife of his! Pegasus grinned a bit in spite of himself and shook his head, silver tendrils falling in his eyes to blurr his vision. He had always known Tea was a woman who always wanted what she could not have. But now? She had the riches, the jewels, the reputation and the title. What more could she ask for but a young lover when out of her husband's bed? Pegasus laughed cruely in his own mind, but dared not to make a sound. She was a horrible show-off, his wife, and a great tease. He must have been a bit naive, believing that she was a sweet, innocent young thing when they'd been wed. Now, Pegasus was wiser and he knew of his wife's insane notions that the world revolved solely around her. And now... she was only amusing to watch.   
  
After the ceremony, Yami found himself shaking hands with many of the hierarchy of the Catholic church. Pegasus was introducing him to the men, all of whom nodded with somewhat of a keen interest in the young man. Yami supposed that this was because of Pegasus' title and high standing in the church, even after most of England's royalty had gone Protestant.   
  
"And finally, I would like you to meet my good friend and colleague, Monsignor Seto Kaiba..." Pegasus smiled as he bowed a little in Seto's direction. "Seto... This is Mr Yami Yugi." The two men locked gazes and shook hands.   
  
"Wonderful to meet you, Monsignor Kaiba."  
  
"The pleasure is all mine..."   
  
Pegasus raised an eyebrow, noticing that his priest friend seemed to be elsewhere. A smile was painted over his usually-somber face, but not the one of a serpant, as Pegasus was accustom to. Seto seemed... generally happy. In a way, it made Pegasus curious. He wished to know what on earth Monsignor Kaiba had to grin about.   
  
Seto gave a slight nod to Tea and greeted her casually. She raised an eyebrow to his smirk as well but did not keep preoccupied with it. The Duchess had other things to think about. Since speaking with her cousin, Serenity, Tea was always pondering how she would make her love known to Yami. It seemed difficult to out-right tell him and she had hinted it on several occasions. She could not understand what he was thinking of when she was right before his eyes, needing him... A haughty glance in Pegasus' direction before turning to Yami, she made up her mind. She would ask to ride alone with Yami on the way back to her home. Perhaps she could suggest that Pegasus stay behind and speak with his friend. It was perfect.   
  
Tea raised her pretty head and said softly, her eyes burning into the young man next to her,   
  
"Yami... Would it be alright if--"   
  
Seto turned his head to look at her and Pegasus shook his head knowingly. But the man the question was directed toward did not hear her. He had bolted from the church and run out into the rain. And as he had done this so fast, no one could see where he'd gone... or what he was chasing after.   
  
"Where do you suppose he went?" Seto drawled, not particularly interested but making conversation.   
  
"Oh, who can say..." Pegasus sniggered, watching his wife's cheeks turn pink in anger and embaressment out of one eye. "Perhaps he has gone to chase some beautiful young woman. But again who can say..." The Duke and the Monsignor chuckled lightly as the Duchess sulked.

* * *

Yami pushed his way through the throng of people as each one attempted to battle the crowds and the driving rain. But the young man didn't care. He had seen her... He had...   
  
Suddenly, in a flash of crimson and gold, Yami caught the woman he loved turning a corner. His heart raced as he persued her. Finally, he saw her once more in a darkened alleyway. She looked like a small cat, trying to stay out of the rain. In an instant, he reached for her tanned fingers and was suprised as his own closed over them. She turned, frightened, her eyes wide. She was wearing an elegant gown and if he had not seen her that day on the pagent wagon stage, he would have sworn her to be royalty. But the dress did not register to him (later, he assumed it was a costume of some kind...). All that mattered was that he could feel the heat of her skin through his glove. And it nearly drove him mad.   
  
Quickly, he pulled her close and listened to her gasp. _"Do not be afraid!"_ He wanted to say. _"I am in love with you!"_ But he could scarely manage a word as he stared at her. Suddenly, this woman who had become somewhat of a ghost in his mind was in his arms. He let his strong hands fall down to the small of her back and then brought one arm up to brush his fingers over her neck. Yami felt her skip a breath. They were close enough to kiss.   
  
"_Release me_!"   
  
"No, no..." Yami could finally speak and he ran his gloved fingers through her rain-soaked hair. "You do not see... Please, I--"   
  
"Release me! Who-- Who do you think you _are_?" She pulled away from him and in his stupor, he felt his grip go slack. She began to run but he turned seized her by the wrist and cried out,   
  
"Don't! Please, I-- I am in love with you!"   
  
Isis's eyes widened. _What?_   
  
"I am in love with you, please! When I first saw you, I wasn't able to think of anything else! My eyes have never fallen upon a more beautiful woman than when I saw you that day in the park! Please, please! I do not sleep, nor eat... I only breathe by habit!" His eyes pleaded along with his lips. "I love you!"   
  
She paused for longer than she intended before snatching her wrist away and running off in the other direction. Yami could only watch as the fog and rain swirled behind her, vaguely aware that he still stood under the storming sky but never feeling the cool drops of endless water on his face.

* * *

Me: Ok, yeah, I didn't really like that chappy but I got a review from someone who called themself "Jo Mama" who had this to say: **Man update da god'damn story tis' ish frinkin' cool hurry da hell up or i will kill ya'** Uhm... Ok. Hope I updated to your liking :) Anyway, review please, thanks and thank "Jo Mama" for getting me off my lazy ass. 


	11. Things Fall Apart

Ah! Omygod, I'm posting O.o

Bonus points to those of you (still reading! haha) who can guess the "little girl song" Serenity is singing... Hint: it's NOT some kind of British folk thing Ah, it so ruins the moment if you know... Well, I guess this fic is back for a little bit. I struck with (albeit, _shaky..._) bouts of inspiration and I had to give it a stab. Let me know what you think. Much love and thanks to those of you still reading :)

* * *

He lifted his head at the low, hollow knock on the heavy church doors. Who could it be at this hour and in the rain? Perhaps someone trying to seek refuge from the storm that would not cease. Or perhaps... someone who's mind was so troubled that he must come to the church even in the cold, driving rain... 

Seto paused before turning to walk down the aisle, past the holy water (?) and to the doors. When he opened them, he saw what would have made him gasp in alarm and pity. But ever concealing of his thoughts, Seto merely raised a curious eyebrow.

"...Serenity?"

Her hair was matted down to her soft cheeks, which, once rosy and soft with youth, were wan and hollow. She stared at the ground before lifting her eyes reluctantly to meet his. They were angry. And empty.

"Seto..." Suddenly, her angry irises grew dim and she fell forward into his arms.

* * *

"Serenity, when is the last time you have eaten?" 

She did not answer him, but merely wrapped the blanket tighter around her much-thinner form in front of the fire. Seto walked away from the hearth, exasperated, and went to close the doors. He had brought her to a small, secluded room in the palace where she could warm herself and he could try to understand what she had done. She had chosen not to say anything yet. He was losing his patience.

"Serenity... do your parents know you are here...? Does Mr Taylor know...?"

She whispered something and he hurried toward her, thinking that she had begun to speak, but he turned away again in frustration when he heard that she was just singing a little girl song.

"_I'm not a child anymore  
__I'm tall enough to reach for the stars  
__I'm old enough to love you from afar  
__Too trusting, yes, but then women usually are..._"

"Serenity!" He suddenly said harshly and the rain outside intensified. "Serenity, why have you come here, to me, half-starved without your parents knowing where you are or what has become of you! When do you plan to return to them! When do you plan to end this!"

"I do not." He was taken aback again by the sound of her voice.

"...What?"

She looked up at him and in the dim fire-light, he saw that her eyes were laced with salt tears. He put his hand over his face to conceal his anger. The burden... the _child_ she was!

"Serenity, if this is about what I said to you those nights ago, I--"

"No." She stood slowly, as her body was malnourished and easy to bruise, and walked to him. "No, it is not that... I am... merely wondering if..." She stared into his eyes mournfully when her journey across the room to him ended. He watched her back skeptically.

"If... you are well."

Seto said nothing for a time and then answered a slightly condescending, "_I_?" complete with the raise of his eyebrow.

"Yes."

"I am... well."

"Are you..." she hesitated. "...happy?"

Again, he took a moment to answer the question. "Am I... happy?" She nodded and he stared at her quizzidly. What was he to say so that the little waif of a girl did not starve herself more? Of course... he had not worried about this before when he tore her down. That thought stung him with guilt.

"I... I... am."

She let out a tiny breath of air and murmered, "Yes?"

"Yes..." His reply still sounded unsure.

"Thank you, Seto... Father Kaiba..." She then collected herself and prepared to leave. The priest was surprised at this and he followed her through the dim halls of the church, pleading with her to stay until she was well, or at least til morning. She declined, saying that her parents would be worried over her and that she had a carriage waiting outside, which he saw she did. The girl stepped up into the dark, horse-drawn coach and, once inside, she turned to him with a faintly pleased look.

"I will see you again soon, Father." With a worldly smile on an innocent face, she bid him farewell and the coach lurched through the rain and into the cold night.

Serenity sat back against the soft cushions and produced a small piece of paper she had kept hidden from Seto (_Father Kaiba... Did it even matter?_). The slip of paper was rain-soaked, like her, but she could still make out the message. For the past few days, since she had spent that rainy morning outside the church but refusing to attend, she had kept the note. That was when she began thinking: of Seto, of the woman, and the memory of a party that had been held in the home of the Duke...

Pegasus' revelry had been strange because her brother had returned and he had brought a woman with him... One who had come with her brother as a guest to the party. An actor in his troupe... And that was when Serenity realized what was happening.

Father Kaiba had been dressed in a noble's clothes and this woman he had held was wearing a fine dress when she had seen them in the rain... The woman did not know that Seto was a priest, he had lied to her and concealed his lie by meeting her only in the clothes of a noble. The woman had not been inside the church so was, therefore, not Catholic, so she had never met him as a priest. Seto Kaiba had lied to this woman and Serenity knew... Yet, that was not all, for the woman, who had been dressed as a delicate lady, was actually an actor, a social outcast... Their facade carried to both sides and neither was whom they pretended to be.

When she had asked Seto if he was happy, she had hoped he would say no. The fact that he _was_ happy made this more difficult to do. But Serenity, even at only the age of fourteen, knew that she must do what was necessary to win the man she loved. Even if she had to break his heart in the process... Determined, she clenched in her tiny fist, the note... She would win him even if she had to do this... She would, somehow, win him... and make him love her...

* * *

"Isis! You have a note to you, Love!" 

The dark-haired woman immediately lost interest in what she was doing inside the pagent wagon and jumped up at Bakura's words. Suppose it was a letter from Seto (_for who else could it be?_) and Bakura had read it...?

She snatched away the note and looked at the white-haired harlequin. "Did you... read it?"

He laughed. "No, pet, your privacy _is _actually a thing..." She smiled at him warmly and wished she had not doubted him. But she couldn't take the chance that someone else would find out about the affair... because she feared so much her exposure as a fraud...

The day had not been a complete loss like many of the others. With the rain, it was difficult to put on street performances but the day had given them scatters of sunshine. Now, of course, the storming outside was quite deafening but the day was over and they had made some income. Isis took her note away from Bakura's grin and curious looks and shut herself up in her bedroom. The note was wet and faded but she could make out the fine, pretty hand:

_Isis. I know who you truly are and who you claim to be. I know who you have lied to. You must repent, go to confessional at the church on the street of Sycamores, and I will not tell him what you have done._

Her cheek turned pale as she dropped the note to the floor. A moment passed when she thought she might fall to her knees, her head swimming, but instead she pulled herself to the drawer where she kept her few fine clothes and costumes and shakily dressed for confessional...

* * *

When Isis entered the dark church, water still clinging to her hair, she looked around for the confessional. She saw it and went to sit inside. Somewhere, Serenity was hoping her timing with the Monsignor's schedule had been right. It was. 

Isis slipped into the small booth and through the blurred window beside her, saw the hand waving to her to begin.

"Forgive me, Father... for I have sinned..."

She parted her lips to continue, but a soft breath of air from the priest's surprise haulted her. Then the hollow, disbelieving voice, whispering the one word that broke his calm demeanor.

"..._Isis..._?"

She knew that voice, the way it said her name. She knew the inflection, the crisp tip he gave the _i_. That voice... she knew it calling her, whispering to her, gasping out her name in the dark...

"..._Seto._"

She lept up as if disgusted and burst from the tiny chamber. Seto, again seeming as if he could not stop himself, threw open the door and stepped out, fumbling with his words. She stared at his clothes and his voice faultered as he whispered,

"I wanted to tell you... I wanted to tell you but I... I..."

She reached behind her, hoping to find something, anything to lift her up, make her focus, give her some kind of ground or solace... But she found no solace in the house of the Lord that night. And when he tried to reach toward her, she turned frightened, disappointed, despairing and ran out the doors.

* * *

Whoa... I almost don't care anymore do I? I've totally gone Yu Watase on my characters (aka went completely crazy on the story line. if only I could write as well as Ms. Watase...) o.O Sorry guys... :both to readers and characters: Well, let me know what you thought :) 


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